The latest touring version of perennial favourite, 'Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor™ Dreamcoat' is currently at Manchester's Opera House.
There is much to admire about this incarnation, not least of which is a heavily pregnant Alexandra Burke's winning smile and personality shining through, and showing us all exactly why she is where she is with her singing throughout, but especially in 'A Pharaoh Story'; and some very cute and talented children. The children were superb all evening and in some instances simply put the adults to shame! The set for the second act, when we are in Egypt, also worked nicely.
However, there are some things which didn't really work as well as they should have done. The first thing I should mention is that Alexandra Burke was playing the Narrator. She therefore should have been playing only the narrator. Having her double-up, no matter how comedically as Jacob and Mrs. Potipher, was nothing short of a cost-cutting exercise, and felt wrong. Further, if one is paying good money to see a professional adult touring show - yes, we know there is a children's chorus in this show, it's part of the show's charm and appeal; however when these very small preteens are given leading roles - four of the brothers, the butcher, the baker, and even Potipher - one can only see this as yet again, another cost-cutting exercise. If we'd have wanted to have seen children play these roles we'd have gone to a youth theatre or school production of it... not to a Number 1 UK tour! And the idea of Alexandra Burke being the wife of a ten-year old Potipher didn't sit well.
The choreography was high energy and fun; the singing was, on the whole good, and the emphasis from director Laurence Connor clearly being on the tongue-in-cheek - some of which worked beter than others. I truly loved the little kid (there's a joke for you... a child playing a young goat.. the kid was a kid!); but the can-can routine was unfunny and didn't really work. Some of the songs seemed to lack the correct 'feel'. The calypso wasn't a calypso, the French chanson wasn't a French chanson, and 'The Song Of The King', despite being performed by Jason Donovan, wasn't particularly rock n' roll either. In fact, Donovan chose to stray completely from the usual interpretation of this role, and despite having "The King" written on his cloak, the golden guitars magically appearing on the statues, and a shiny Las Vegas sign being flown down from above, his characterisation was very effete, homosexual, aged, and just about as far removed from Elvis Presley it's possible to get. Very strange.
The opening to both acts were extremely weak. Taken from the film version, I had never seen these performed on a stage version before, and they don't really work. They weaken the story and the show, adding nothing but time to this musical. In fact, the musical really ought to be performed as a single act non-stop romp, it would work much better.
Joseph, performed by Jac Yarrow made little impression on me sadly, and his 'Close Every Door To Me' solo showed a tired and slightly flat voice. This is a pity, as he did seem to have the ability to do much more, but was being held back (?)
There were moments of marvellousness; such as the spectacle created for The Procession Of The King on Pharaoh's first entrance, and the female singer in 'One More Angel In Heaven'; but to finish the show with Joseph pleading everyone to 'Give me my coloured coat, my amazing coloured coat', and he is not given it, and to take his curtain call without it, is unforgivable. Forget the mega-mix and added bows at the end.. that isn't part of the show.. the show is already over!
Reviewer - Chris Benchley
on - 29.3.22
on - 29.3.22
No comments:
Post a Comment